RALEIGH – The North Carolina General Assembly is still in session as legislators wait on negotiations between House and Senate leaders and Gov. Roy Cooper over the state’s two-year budget. The three leaders involved: Cooper, House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) and Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) continue to remain tight-lipped over the process. All three say they remain hopeful to reach a compromise agreement.
Meanwhile, public comment meetings on proposed maps for state legislative and congressional districts were held on Monday and Tuesday as legislators work to finish the drawing process this week. One source tells NSJ that the final maps should be voted on either late this week or next week.
On Tuesday, Moore told The Associated Press a plan could be approved with or without formal support from Cooper as soon as next week.
“We had a very candid conversation,” Moore said to reporters. He added that Republicans expect to receive another offer from Cooper later this week, after which “we hope to be able to proceed either with something the governor would sign next week” or something the GOP-controlled legislature prefers, the report states.
The speaker also said action could be delayed as lawmakers attempt to approve new boundaries for U.S. House and General Assembly by the end of next week.
Cooper spokesperson Jordan Monaghan wrote late Tuesday by email to the AP that “discussions between the governor and the legislature did occur in person on Friday and are continuing this week.”
